Southern California -- this just in

Women shot by LAPD in Dorner pursuit to get $40,000 to buy truck

March 14, 2013 | 3:42
pm

This post has been corrected. See below for details.

Two women whose truck was riddled with bullets fired by Los Angeles police officers in a case of mistaken identity during the
pursuit of fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner will a receive $40,000 cash settlement to replace their vehicle.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, City Atty. Carmen
Trutanich announced the deal reached between city officials and the women's attorney, Glen Jonas. Officials stressed that this deal was to compensate the women for the loss of the truck and is separate from any discussions regarding potential litigation involving the LAPD shooting incident in Torrance.

(For the record, 5:31 p.m.: A previous version of this post incorrectly spelled Jonas' first name as Glenn.)

The move comes several weeks after the women were promised a new truck -- and two days after they publicly complained through Jonas that they had not received a new vehicle.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck had pledged to provide the truck to Margie
Carranza, 47, and her
mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, who were delivering newspapers in Torrance
on Feb. 7 when LAPD officers fired repeatedly on their blue Toyota Tacoma.

Hernandez was shot twice in the back, and Carranza was injured by broken glass.

The officers were protecting the home of a high-ranking LAPD official named in a threatening manifesto authorities said was written by Dorner, and they believed that official could have been a potential target. Dorner at the time had already killed the daughter of an LAPD captain, her fiance — a USC police officer — and a Riverside police officer, officials said.

Dorner was believed to be driving a gray Nissan Titan and there was a crime broadcast preceding the shooting that said a truck matching Dorner's was in the area.

Beck called the shooting "a
tragic misinterpretation" by officers working under "incredible tension"
hours after Dorner allegedly shot police officers. He promised to
provide a truck from a donor regardless of potential litigation by the
women.

Jonas said this week the women were first offered a used truck, then a
non-four-wheel-drive Ford to replace their four-wheel-drive Toyota. The
women also had to agree not to sell it for a year. His clients agreed to
that truck, he said.

But then the dealership and LAPD officials said the truck would be
considered a prize for tax purposes, Jonas said. "Essentially, they'd
have to pay taxes like they won it on a game show."

Jonas said the situation has been compounded by the fact that the women haven't been able to work since being injured.